Friday, July 27, 2012

Police: false rape claim prompted by revenge

A West Haven woman was allegedly upset about an ex-boyfriend seeing another woman, so she falsely accused him of rape and kidnapping, according to police.

On June 4, police got a report of an abduction and sexual assault, according to police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith. When officers arrived at the Hubbard Place apartment, Jessica Barrett, 20, of 52 Main Street, West Haven, told them that she had been kidnapped and raped by her ex-boyfriend, he said.

"Barrett, advised officers that on June 3, as she was walking near the Truman Street School in New Haven, her ex-boyfriend exited his vehicle, punched her in the head and then forced her into the vehicle," Smith said. "Barrett further advised officers that her ex-boyfriend drove her to the Hubbard Place address, where he raped her several times.

"She further claimed that her ex-boyfriend kept her in a closet for a period of time," Smith said. "In addition, she was not fed for nearly 24 hours. Barrett was subsequently transported to the Hospital of Saint Raphael."

The next day, Detectives Donald Remillard and Sean Dolan met with Barrett, when she told them she "fabricated the entire story because her ex-boyfriend had been dating another girl," Smith said.

After an investigation, Remillard submitted an arrest warrant application to the court, Smith said, and on Tuesday Barrett had turned herself in at Hamden Police Headquarters. She was charged with falsely reporting an incident and second-degree false statement.

She was released on a written promise to appear in Meriden Superior Court on Aug. 6.